The Southern New Jersey Light Rail (SNJLR) project involved the construction of a 35-mile section of railroad between Camden and Trenton, New Jersey. The project goals included the following:

• Improve transit accessibility and connectivity;
• Enhance access opportunities to jobs;
• Provide flexibility for future expansion;
• Reduce traffic congestion and decrease commuting time along this corridor;
• Enhance connections with inter-city rail services, airports, bus terminals and ferries;
• Improve transportation for socially, economically and physically disadvantaged groups, and
• Provide access to cultural and recreational facilities, health care, educational institutions, shopping and government centers.

Boswell served as a major sub-consultant to an interdisciplinary Design/Build/Operate/Maintain (DBOM) team responsible for all aspects of the SNJLR project. Boswell’s specific tasks on this $640 Million project included field survey, right-of-way acquisitions, traffic control, utility design, environmental services, community outreach and construction oversight. The light rail was designed within Conrail’s Bordentown Secondary Track corridor located along the western portion of central Jersey adjacent to the Delaware River. The SNJLR created transfer connections to AMTRAK, Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority and NJ Transit rail, and bus service at the Northeast Corridor Station. The light rail created a cost-effective means of travel, which included stops at Rutgers University, Adventure Aquarium along the Camden waterfront, Burlington Towne Center, the Walter Rand Transportation Center and the Waterfront Entertainment Center. Overall, the project highlighted the importance of creating public infrastructure in order to provide residents with a viable alternative mode of transportation. The light rail alignment passed through numerous environmentally sensitive wetland areas, requiring Boswell’s expertise in identifying the various State and Federal permits required for construction. The permitting effort involved the collaboration of various design firms and required a comprehensive understanding of the project’s goals and objectives. The acquisition of all necessary permits, in conjunction with constant negotiations with the NJDEP Division of Land Use Regulation, was critical to the success of the SNJLR. The permits identified and obtained for this project included NJDEP Freshwater Wetlands Letter of Interpretation, Mitigation Plan, ACOE Coastal Wetlands and US Coast Guard.